A management member of Ghana Premier League Club, Elmina Sharks FC, Nana Ofori Owusu has said there are plans to challenge the government’s intended dissolution of the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
Mr. Ofori Owusu, who is also the Director of Operations for the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), argues that the GFA in its entirety, need not suffer for the actions of a few persons implicated in investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ exposé, dubbed Number 12.
[contextly_sidebar id=”FZLCgtVsB3SF3nVrx2SNuP2wJdP5ifRO”]He indicated that it was unfair to dissolve the GFA when those indicted had not been given a fair hearing yet.
Speaking on Citi FM’s news analysis programme, The Big Issue, Nana Ofori Owusu said the law should be allowed to takes its course before a decision to dissolve the GFA is considered.
“We are going to challenge the process…The people who took the bribe have not been convicted in a competent court of law yet. The law requires that when a person is accused, they must get a hearing. We have convicted these people and we have ascribed to them illegalities for which only the court can pronounce. We as citizens cannot pronounce that these people have done anything illegal,” said Mr. Ofori Owusu.
‘No consultation’
Mr. Owusu also chided government for its failure to consult football club owners on plans to sanitise the sector after the exposé.
He said the club owners had the most to lose in the matter.
“You cost us money but you don’t consult us. Has government taken the right step?” he quizzed on The Big Issue.
His comments come after the government secured an interim injunction on all the activities of the Ghana Football Association.
“The government should have liaised with team owners. When you go and put an injunction and you stop [Ghana football], how much money has the government invested in the local league,” Mr. Ofori Owusu lamented.
“Name one Pesewa that government has put into the Premier League, the Division One League, the Division Two League, in the last three or four years? They have not,” he added.
Scope of injunction
The order of the court bars the GFA and its officials from carrying out all official duties at least for ten days.
This includes the organization of football matches, the selling of the association’s assets, the appointment and election of officials and other official duties.
In her argument before the court, the Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo, contended that GFA was being used for illegal purposes.
The injunction, according to the AG, is, therefore, necessary to protect the public.
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By: Marian Ansah/citinewsroom.com/Ghana
